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I began reading some of Philip K. Dick’s short stories and quickly became hooked. His style and imagination have left an indelible mark on science fiction since and his influence is unmistakable. His novels are genius, and Ubik may be the best one I have read yet.

Telling an inventive sci-fi tale that is entertaining on its surface, this is also a theological metaphor that keeps the reader thinking and trying to figure out what in the world PKD is getting at. His brilliance is compelling and his forays into a more absurd fiction only heighten his return to substantial narrative, but all is held together by his unmistakable voice.

Ubik explores many of his usual themes like alienation, isolation, theological mystery and a disconnection with advancing technology. PKD is one of the more cerebral of the genre’s authors and if Heinlein, Asimov and Clarke are the “Big Three� of hard science fiction I would submit that Dick, Bradbury and Le Guin are the masters of the soft science fiction side of the house.

For a PKD fan, Ubik is a must read, but it is a fine book all by itself and would be a good introduction into his world.

** 2019 addendum - it is a testament to great literature that a reader recalls the work years later and this is a book about which I frequently think.

*** 2023 reread -

One of the all time great science fiction novels.

Philip K. Dick first published this in 1969, at the height of his considerable powers. This was produced after the time of his frenetic early 60s when he was churning out great SF at a record pace and before the theological 70s, where his prose was impacted by his 1974 religious epiphany.

While this is vintage PKD, with labyrinthine and mind blowing questions about reality and perceived alterations in space and time, what makes this even greater is the elements of horror that pepper most pages leading to a fulfilling, if unsettling denouement.

Readers of Dick’s canon will note that several of his SF books, and even a few scenes in his non-SF works, include horrific themes and scenes. What’s going on here though could come right out of a ghost story and makes this even better.

This has been mentioned as being one of the greatest books in the English language since 1923. High praise for an author who spent much of his time paying the bills with Ace doubles (though Ubik was first published by Doubleday).

Ubik also made me think how this may have influenced later writers and writers as diverse as Douglas Adams, William Gibson and Neal Stephenson. The anarcho-capitalism he describes with the coin operated appliances is also a commentary on socio-economic treatises of his day, and a none too subtle satire on pay as you go economic theories.

A MUST read for PKD fans, honestly even if you like his work I don’t think you’re a serious PKD scholar until you’ve read this one. This is also a good introduction of his work to new readers and for any SF fan.